Thomas poised to frank his ascension to leader of the pack at Sky

By Rupert Guinness

28 July 2018 — 12:20pm

LARUNS: The performance of Geraint Thomas in this year’s Tour de France may signal the end of the Chris Froome era as we know it.

Froome, 33 and a four-time Tour de France champion, found himself struggling on Friday’s last mountain stage. He will now be scrapping for a podium place in Saturday’s penultimate stage – a 31km time trial from Saint-Pee-sur-Nivelle to Espelette – rather than the fifth win he wanted as the race nears its end on the Champs Elysees in Paris on Sunday.

Changing of the guard: Geraint Thomas out in front with Chris Froome trailing.Credit:AP

Thomas, 32, led the Tour by more than two minutes overall going into the time trial.

Victory for Thomas would give Sky the luxury of having two riders legitimately vying for the Tour title next year. That was the case this year but, until now, Thomas had not yet proven his ability over a full three weeks. He has silenced those doubters now.

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So where does that leave Froome? No longer as Sky’s sole leader and knowing that Sky are within their rights to work towards providing the best Tour winning chances for two riders, not just one.

A win for Thomas would be his first after previous bests finishes of 15th in 2015 and 2016 when he rode in support of Froome. It would also be Sky’s sixth Tour win in seven years, following Briton Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and Froome in 2013, 2015, 2016 and last year. But on Friday Thomas was not thinking of joining the list.

I won’t take my eye off the ball": Thomas on the podium on Friday.Credit:AP

“I have been saying it every day, day by day, and that is how I have been approaching it, staying in my little bubble," Thomas said. "It is not normal, it is the Tour, but we are used to defending the jersey, and that helps, I guess. Once I come out of here, there may be a surprise and shock, but for now I won’t take my eye off the ball.”

For Thomas, becoming the first Welsh Tour winner was a likely prospect after the race farewelled the Pyrenees with him extending his overall lead to two minutes and five seconds over Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb). Froome slipped from third overall to fourth at 2m 37s, with Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Lotto-Jumbo), the winner of Friday’s 200km 19th stage from Lourdes to Laruns, leapfrogging Froome into third.

But Thomas was not looking beyond his next pedal stroke. His career has been marred by many a misfortune and shattered dreams.

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“I try not to think, as that can throw you off your game," he said. "I am not thinking about the end game.”

Thomas conceded that he felt some nerves, comparing his mood to that on the eve of the 2012 London Olympic Games team pursuit final in which he added a second gold to the one he won in 2008.

“I hope I will be able to sleep,” Thomas said. “It is a bit like the Olympic final in London . . . big tension the day before. This Tour is spread out, but it comes down to [Saturday]. But I take confidence with how I have been riding and best recover. What will be, will be.”

Thomas still had the air of a Tour winner-in-waiting.

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On Friday, he was in full control of a thrilling mountain stage that was set ablaze with attacks and chases. That was also the case in stages 16 and 17 in the Pyrenees on Tuesday and Wednesday and in the Alps, where the Tour spent three days and he claimed back-to-back victories on stages 11 and 12.

“I never felt I was going to get dropped, but it was certainly tough,” Thomas said.

When asked what he would say to Sky team critics who question their medical practices and athlete preparation, Thomas replied: “What can I say? All I have to do is know that I do it the right way, the team does it the right way, the team trains hard.

“I just have to keep doing what I am doing. It will stand the test of time."

Sunday: Stage 21 - Houilles to Champs Elysees, Paris, 116kmA stage for the sprinters, or even those opportunists who are not a threat for overall classification – riders with a diesel engine unafraid to attack on the Champs Elysees finishing circuit and blessed with a fast finish. Remember, a lot of the top sprinters have abandoned or have done it tough over the mountains.